For several years Kisii terrorised Europeans as well as the surrounding tribes by frequent and successful raids.
Within the tribe itself there was such hostility and distrust that communication between clans was carried out through women who acted as envoys.
While chief Ndubo and other chiefs collaborated with the British, Moraa Ngiti of the Kitutu clan incited her people to revolt.
The establishment of an administrative centre in the Kisii territory was first recommended by the PC Nyanza supported by Major W. Robert Foran who was in charge of the police.
A few years later a young District Commissioner , Stafford Northcote, built a government post in the heart of this fertile territory .
When Foran passed through the Kisii country on his way to visit Northcote at this new station, he was impressed by the friendliness of the Kisii, and their vast herds of sleek, glossy coated cattle and large flocks of fat tailed native sheep that roamed the valleys and hillsides.
On arrival , he congratulated Northcote for successfully administering the territory and informed him how peaceful and contended all the Kisii appeared to be in the areas he had passed.
“Oh ! they’re peaceful enough,” Northcote laughed, ” but it is their high priestess who causes me anxious moments. She has been aloof and broods, with anger in her heart and suspicion,”
The high priestess in question was Moraa Ngiti. She didn’t like the influence Northcote now wielded among her people.
Two weeks earlier she had accused some of them of forgetting her and giving allegiance to a white man.She told them that Northcote was sick because only very sick people were yellow or white in colour. She therefore urged her nephew Otenyo Nyamaterere to lead an attack on Northcote.
This information reached Northcote who on being asked by Foran on what he would do, he simply replied, “Nothing at all.”
Foran stayed in Kisii for only three days before proceeding to Kisumu. On his way , he passed through a Kisii village but unlike before when he felt the warmth of Kisii people, this time all the natives fled into the maize fields upon seeing him.
Up the hills he could see Kisii tribesmen dressed in their war paint, and carrying spears and shields. They were watching his every move intently.
Unmistakably trouble was already brewing; and the sudden change of attitude was more disquieting. Foran took note of it, and quickly sent a messenger to Northcote to ask him which way the wind was blowing. He promised to send reinforcement as soon as he reached Kisumu.
As tired as he was, his first thought immediately he reached Kisumu was to despatch of 50 policemen to Kisii. He ordered that they should march to Kisii the following day very early in the morning.
He went on to make a report about the situation to the Provincial Commissioner whom he warned that a rebellion in Kisii was imminent.
The PC, however took things lightly telling him, ” Looks bad, but one can can never be sure such things will happen. I entirely approve of your plans to reinforce Northcote, but do not send off your men to him until l recieve his report.”The reinforcement to Kisii was therefore delayed.
Shocking news came in the following morning, when a native runner arrived in Kisumu from Kisii with a letter addressed to the PC. It was brief but to the point.
Northcote had seriously been wounded by a spear while patrolling the vicinity of his post. The whole Kisii region was in open rebellion and it was feared policemen and native traders had been killed. The culprit was Otenyo Nyamaterere.
In two and a half hours, Forlan had already organised 50 policemen, a maxim machine gun, an army of native porters , 30, 000 rounds of ammunition, and sufficient food to last for a month. They travelled through Lake Victoria to Kendu Bay from where they proceeded to Kisii by foot.
Meanwhile Nyanza provincial physician, Dr Boedeker was ordered to hasten to Kisii via Karungu to give Northcote medical attention, but on his arrival he was blocked by the Kisii tribesmen.So he had to turn back and wait for Foran to arrive from Kendu Bay with armed men.
Foran arrived in Kisii shortly before darkness with armed men. Fortunately there was a bright moon. They could hear war drums beating continuously and war cries of the Kisii warriors from a distance.
Shortly after midnight, the Kisii delivered their first serious attack. A shower of arrows fell in the midst of the contingent without injuring anyone.
Farlon ordered his men to open fire bringing the machine gun into action. After 10 minutes of rapid fire in every direction, He thought he had given the Kisii warriors a sharp lesson, and ordered his men to cease fire.But to his surprise, more arrows fell among them.
However they continued marching to Kisii government post ready to repel any attack. Just before daylight the Kisii delivered another attack and the contingent responded by the same tactics. By this time the warriors had become so bold and were too close to be healthful.
Although they couldn’t see them, they could hear their war cries.Forlan consequently ordered his men to spray the spot where the noise was coming from with a few rounds from the Maxim machine gun.
At daybreak they could see the Kisii warriors thickly covering the hills in every direction, but kept a respectful distance.
The contingent arrived at Kisii government post before midday where they found Northcote had been speared through the back , the long blade spear just missing his spine.
It had penetrated through his back, just grazed his stomach, and had imbedded itself in his groin . He was in a bad way but still cheerful. He was put in the care of Dr Boedeker and Forlan and his men left to prepare defence for the post.
The hills surrounding Kisii post were still black with Kisii warriors, and it was feared that they could carry out an assault any time. After becoming satisfied with the defence mounted around the post, Farlon threw himself on a camp cot to snatch a couple of hours sleep.
A few minutes into his sleep he was woken up by heavy gunfire, from his men. The Kisii had descended from the hills and were now crowding into the valley, steadily advancing to attack the post.
Moments later hordes of Kisii warriors emerged in the precincts of the post as Forlan ordered his men to open fire. He could see his men doing deadly execution, but the warriors kept on advancing relentlessly.
Fortunately a punitive expedition of the third Battalion Kings African Rifles arrived from Nairobi following orders from the Governor. The battalion alighted at Lumbwa(Kiplelion) from where they were guided into the Kisii country by Nandi trackers.To prevent the trackers from being mistaken for enemies, they were asked to carry red cloth on their heads and on their spears.
The following day a combined operation led by Foran and Captain Sullivas of Kings African Rifles was mounted to discipline the Kisii. In every village they entered, they set huts and granaries on fire , and took away livestock. In total, some 500 head of cattle and 2000 sheep were captured.
The Nandi trackers proved invaluable in collecting intelligence information and in dealing with captured stock.
A new operation to capture Moraa Ngiti was mounted after intelligence information revealed that she had fled to Chief Ndube’s clan for protection. Chief Ndube feeling vulnerable, came forward unarmed and declared that he and his people were friendly.
The following day he personally led government forces into his village where many hostile chiefs surrendered but not Moraa Ngiti.
Two days later after Foran recieved secret information about whereabouts of Moraa, he called two of his best men and offered them a large reward if they would bring her to him.
The two Africans grinned with delight and readily accepted the challenge. “Bwana before cock-crow you shall see the priestess, ” they assured him. ” One finger will not kill a louse but we two shall accomplish your orders bwana.”
As the first rosy tint of dawn flecked the east, Foran was called from his tent. Outside he found two policemen holding a very angry Moraa.
“The Laibon, ” they greeted him laconically.
“This very beautiful woman is the sister of many”, added one of them with a grin of amusement as he glanced at the repulsive face of Moraa.
All the captured and livestock and Moraa were taken to Kisumu.
(Note :the sketch was made as Moraa stood between two askaris who were guarding her outside Foran’s tent.)
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